


United Front

by Aklusmos



Series: Meet the Family [2]
Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, M/M, Meeting the Parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-06-08
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:46:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24609394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aklusmos/pseuds/Aklusmos
Summary: This is the type of thing that happens when people are about to get married, not a week after deciding they’re officially together.ORParents are made to embarrass their children.
Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand, Owen Strand & TK Strand
Series: Meet the Family [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1779025
Comments: 8
Kudos: 202





	United Front

**Author's Note:**

> As some of you requested here's the dinner with the parents
> 
> The title was a struggle for this one, I changed it probably about 5 times

TK’s hand is twitching with nerves as he exits the vehicle and starts walking up the steps to the front porch. This is a bad idea. He glances over at his dad and wonders if he can convince him to fake an emergency to get out of this dinner. It feels way too soon to not only be meeting Carlos’ parents but also to have his father meet them as well. This is the type of thing that happens when people are about to get married, not a week after deciding they’re officially together. He’s grateful he had at a week though, turns out a kitchen cannot be repaired in a day despite Mr. Reyes’ initial invitation.

His dad must be a mind reader though because as soon as he starts to voice his doubts Owen interrupts, “Calm down TK. This isn’t a big deal if you don’t make it one.”

“Yeah cause I bet you were so calm when you met Bubbe and Zayde.”

“Well when I met them I was getting ready to propose.”

This does the complete opposite of calming his nerves, that’s the whole point isn’t it? That it’s too soon for this dinner. Owen reaches out and gives TK’s shoulder a gentle squeeze.

“Any particular reason to be nervous you want to share?” Owen smirks.

“Dad, please, can you not tonight?” TK swallows hard and his eyes keep shifting between his dad and the door.

“Hey, I’m sorry. It was just a joke, there’s no need to be so nervous. I promise I’ll be on my best behaviour.”

TK lets out a breath of relief and gives his dad a small smile, “Thanks dad.”

“Anytime kiddo. Now let’s stop standing on this front step like a couple of criminals and let them know we’re here,” Owen reaches past TK and gives three quick knocks to the front door before TK can stop him.

TK can hear steps from inside approaching the door and he takes a deep breath in in anticipation. It comes out in a long stream when the door opens to reveal Carlos by himself.

“Hey TK, Captain Strand,” Carlos moves to the side and waves them in. “Come on in, supper is almost ready.”

“Owen seems a bit more suitable for tonight’s circumstances don’t you think?”

Carlos gives a nervous laugh and quickly glances to TK to gauge his reaction, “Yeah, I guess so.”

Owen takes a few steps past Carlos to give the two of them a moment together. TK is so grateful that his dad seems to get that he needs this. He leans into Carlos’ space wrapping his arms around his waist and bringing his head forward to give him a quick kiss.

“Hey.”

“Hey to you too,” Carlos smiles and TK can feel himself relax further. “C’mon, let’s go get the introductions over with.”

Carlos leads them both down the hall and into a formal dining room where Mr. Reyes is already seated at the head of the table. He stands when they enter the room and lifts a hand towards Owen for a handshake.

“Well it’s nice to formally meet you. The other day was a bit hectic and I seemed to have forgotten my manners. Lito Reyes.”

“Owen Strand. I think your reaction was understandable given the circumstances.”

Owen steps to the side and TK feels Carlos lay a hand on the small of his back when he reaches a hand forward to greet Carlos’ father.

“TK Strand.”

Lito pauses for a second before accepting the handshake, “So you’re the reason Carlos has been pulling a disappearing act lately, huh?”

“Umm,” TK sputters.

Before he can think of anything to add, Carlos’ mother makes an appearance from the kitchen carrying a bottle of wine. “Lito! Leave the poor boy alone. Don’t mind him TK, I’m Ana and it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“It’s nice to meet you too, thanks for having us,” TK sighs in relief and goes to shake her hand but is surprised with a quick hug and a kiss to the cheek.

She then turns to Owen, “And you must be Captain Strand. Thank you for your help the other day.”

“Hardly any trouble at all and may I say you have a lovely home when it’s not on fire.”

TK looks to the ceiling and tries to remind himself why he thought letting his dad come was a good idea but Ana seems to have a different opinion as she breaks out into laughter.

“Thank you, I have to agree with you there. Come on let’s sit down and eat before everything gets cold. Carlos can you go grab the platter from the oven? I hope you both like fish.”

TK and Carlos make brief eye contact remembering the last time they had, or hadn’t really, fish for a meal. TK hopes it isn’t an omen of how this dinner would go.

But when has TK ever been lucky?

It starts with Ana pouring wine for them all and TK stopping her when she reaches his glass with an awkward “none for me thanks”. And of course that’s also the moment Carlos reappears with the fish and now they’re both reliving that disastrous night only now they have an audience. Carlos, the saint that he is, diverts his mother’s attention away from TK, “None for me either mom, I’m driving remember?”

“One glass won’t hurt Carlos.”

An awkward moment settles over the room.

“I’m a police officer mom, I’m supposed to be setting a good example.”

Ana relents and the tension lifts from the room as they all settle in for the meal. Things are going surprisingly well with everyone making idle chit chat throughout the meal. A second and then a third bottle of wine is opened so they should’ve known it couldn’t last. TK and Carlos offer to clear the table and grab the dessert so they can sneak a quick moment together.

TK presses Carlos against the kitchen cabinets and leans in for a kiss while winding his arms around him, “So this hasn’t been so bad.”

“Mmm, yeah who would’ve guessed our parents would get along so well.”

“I mean we get along and they raised us so it isn’t that surprising is it?”

“I guess so,” Carlos gives him another kiss. “C’mon let’s get back out there before they come looking for us.”

As they enter the dining room with the dessert they quickly realize they’ve made an error in judgement. By grabbing a moment to themselves they have inadvertently left their drunk parents alone and they’ve apparently decided it was the perfect time to start swapping embarrassing stories about their children.

“Well TK came out to me when he was fourteen,” TK’s eyes widen in horror and he tries to silently get his dad’s attention to stop this story in its tracks to no avail. “Not that I think he planned it at the time. See I had just sat him down for _the talk_ when he tells me it’s really not necessary. I told him it very much was and was about to continue on when he just blurts out I’m gay!”

TK groans and covers his face while everyone, Carlos included the traitor, bursts into laughter.

“He really thought that would get him out of it. Joke was on him though, I just sat him down the next night after I grabbed some pamphlets from the local clinic.”

TK briefly wonders why the ground can’t open up and swallow him whole at that moment. Carlos takes pity on him and grabs his hand to give it a reassuring squeeze. The moment quickly flips though when Ana starts on a story of her own.

“Well at least he told you! We didn’t find out Carlos was gay until I walked in on him kissing a boy from his math class. What was his name again?”

“Tyler,” Carlos mumbles, his face growing hot and avoiding eye contact with TK who is now staring at him.

“Right yes, Tyler! Anyway they both tried to convince it wasn’t what it looked like but it definitely couldn’t have been anything else!” Ana laughs while continuing the story. Owen slaps a hand on TK’s shoulders while laughing, he’s obviously enjoying the naming coincidence.

“Ok I think that’s enough wine and childhood stories for one night,” Carlos interrupts. “Who wants some pie?”

“Oh fine you spoilsport! How about you tell your mother how you met then?” Ana prods while accepting a slice of pie.

“Work,” Carlos supplies but doesn’t elaborate.

“Well I figured that, I meant more how did you start dating?”

“You know, I haven’t heard this story either,” Owen digs into his own slice of pie. “I know you were there on one of our first calls here but I don’t really remember you and TK saying more than five words to each other. When did that all change?”

“Well, um, I guess we started talking more that first night the team went out to the bar,” TK starts looking to Carlos for help.

“That long?” Owen interrupts. “That was months ago.”

“Months? I thought you said the relationship was new?” Lito jumps in and Carlos can feel his heart rate spike. Well shit.

“I mean,” Carlos stammers and glances at his mother. “That’s when we started talking yeah but we weren’t really dating or anything until recently.”

“Talking, huh?” Owen snorts into his wine glass. “That’s a new term for it.”

TK almost chokes on his pie, wondering once again why he thought his dad being here was a good idea. Carlos is still trying to formulate a response while glancing in his mother’s direction when Lito decides it’s a good time to jump in.

“So when exactly did you start dating then?”

“Uh well,” Carlos looks to TK for help, they really should have anticipated this and coordinated answers. “I guess officially about a week or two now?”

“Wait,” Ana interrupts with a frown. “If you only started dating then how did you get your phones mixed up that morning last week?”

“Yeah, how did you manage that?” Owen is smirking at them both now and they can see Lito has a similar expression. TK and Carlos suddenly wish they could go back to embarrassing childhood stories.

“Um, uh, well,” they both stumble over their words trying to come up with an answer that isn’t the truth when Ana breaks into laughter once again.

“Oh don’t give yourselves an aneurism over it. I’m just kidding, I have a very good idea how the phone swap came about.”

“Mom!” Carlos squeeks out.

TK can tell they must be a matching shade of red while their parents laugh at their expense. He nudges Carlos’ leg with his own to subtly get his attention to offer him a small smile. If they’re going to be humiliated by their parents at least they’re in it together. After that exchange though it seems that their parents have reached their _‘embarrass-my-child’_ quota for the evening and the conversation slowly veers away from their relationship into potential tee times for Owen and Lito.

* * *

Hours later TK and Carlos are lying in bed commiserating over the dinner.

“I mean I expected it from dad but I thought you said your parents were old fashioned.”

“I thought they were! Apparently they’ve just been yanking my chain my entire adult life,” Carlos groans and wonders how he could have misjudged the situation so badly. “I still can’t believe my mom was so calm about it all.”

“Well that’s at least one good thing that happened,” TK tucks his head onto Carlos’ shoulder while throwing an arm around him cuddling close. “I still can’t believe my dad told that story about me coming out, to my boyfriends parents, like a week after we made it official.”

“Hey, it wasn’t so bad. I like hearing stories about teenage TK.”

“Well laugh it up, that was probably the second most embarrassing moment of my life. The first is now obviously the retelling of that story.”

Carlos chuckles and starts carding his fingers through TK’s hair, “I’m just glad that your dad seems to like me.”

“Me too,” TK whispers and then lifts his head to look Carlos in the eye. “You know, this is the first time my dad has ever met any of my boyfriend's parents and as embarrassing as the whole thing was I’m really glad they got along.”

“I know what you mean,” Carlos gives him a soft smile. “It’s nice to have that kind of acceptance from our families.”

“I hope it’s the last time I have to do the whole meet the parents routine,” TK admits.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

Carlos can feel the smile taking over his face, he hopes it’s the last time for him too. Maybe they’ve only been officially together for a week but the truth is Carlos has been all in since that first night they danced at the bar and his heart swells to think that TK wants the same as him. He quickly rolls them over so he’s on top of TK and leans down to kiss him.

“Well we have to do it at least once more for your mom I guess. We’ll prepare better for that one though.”

TK just laughs and returns his kisses. That’s a conversation for another day.


End file.
